Origins 2012 Panel Schedule

I had a fantastic time at CONduit and met a lot of fans, new and old, and sat on some very interesting panels. The publishing panel I was on was particularly enlightening, but it proved to me that no two people get into the world of publishing the same way. As many of you know, I'm doing many more panels at Origins this week, and I wanted to drop my schedule on you. The topics always lead to fascinating discussions and I hope to see plenty of you there.

Thursday:

1:00 PM: Publishing 101 - What’s hot and what’s not in fiction? Panelists look at publishing trends, predict where the market is going, dish out some publishing news and statistics, and offer suggestions on where to send your manuscripts.

Friday:

2:00 PM: The Digital Landscape - Take the do-it-yourself approach and publish your own fiction. The authors on this panel have done just that. They’ll talk about software, formatting, markets, and more.

4:00 PM: Write What You Don't Know - We remember English teachers lecturing: “Write what you know.” Well, we think you ought to write what you don’t know. How else can you write about space travel and alternate history and fire-breathing dragons and vampire detectives? We’ll discuss how a little research and common sense can give you just enough background to really write what you don’t know.

7:00 PM: Reading - Veteran wordsmith Bryan Young returns to Origins and vows to entertain you with one of his recent works. Settle back, put your feet up, and close out the night on a high literary note.

Saturday:

10:00 AM: Slaying Writer's Block - There’s debate whether there is such a beast as writer’s block. We’ll not argue that point here. Rather, we’ll show you what you can do to knock down the barriers that are keeping you from typing away at your keyboard. Writer’s block . . . or whatever you want to label it . . . we’ve faced it and beat it to a bloody pulp.

11:00 AM: Sex and Violence and Pen and Paper - How much sex and violence should you use in your fiction? There’s no secret formula . . . though in the romance genre there are a few requirements. Do you need sex and violence to sell your story? How can you tell if it overrides your plot? Our panelists discuss when to “keep it clean” and when to get down and dirty.

3:00 PM: Self-Publishing and Small Press - There are alternatives to the big New York houses. In fact, some writers are finding wild success by publishing their own manuscripts or taking them to the small press. We’ll look at the options out there and examine the pros and cons. Our panelists have been published by major houses, small press markets, and have listed stories on their own electronically.

Sunday:

1:00 PM: Publishing Potpourri - Maybe you missed a topic because of a Settlers of Catan game. Maybe you didn’t learn quite enough about query letters or available fantasy markets. In any event, we bet there are some questions you didn’t get answered in the other seminars. Bring your questions! We’re ready for them.

And if that's not enough, I'll be in the exhibition hall at my table in "The Library" answering questions and selling books the entire time. I hope to see you there!